Railroad-crossing signal



Apr. 3, E923.

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' J. R. STOGNER ET AL RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL Filed Sept. 16, 1922 2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR HP ,w J

Wl TN ESS Apr. 3, 1923.

J. R. STOGNER ET AL RAILROAD CROSSING SIGNAL Filed Sept. 16, 1922 2 sheets-sheet 2 F Waa 722$ lNVENTOR A'ITORNEY WITNESS:

Patented Apr. 3, 1923.

JOHN ItoY STOGNEB AND POMEBOY ADAMS, or LANCASTER, SOUTH CAROLINA;

RAILROAD-CROSSING SIGNAL.

Application filed September 16, 1922. Serial No. 588,728.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN R. S'roeNnR and PoMnRoY ADAMs, citizens of the United States, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Lancaster and State of South Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Crossing Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to signal devices, particularly those adapted for use on railways, and has for its object the provision of a novel signal device designed to be mounted at railroad crossings and automatically operated by passage of a train before the train approaches the crossing, the purpose being to givea visible and audible signal which will warn motorists and others of the train approaching so that likelihood of accident will be greatly reduced.

An important andmore specific object is the provision of a signal device of this character which includes swingably mounted arms spring pressed in one direction and moved in the other direction by the depression of a track carried element under the influence of the successive'car wheels passing over it.

Anadditional object is the provision of a device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture, easy to install, positive in operation, eflicient and durable in service and a general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a railway showing the signal device associated therewith and located at a railroad cross- Figure 2 is a side elevation of the actuating member mounted along the track wa Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of the actuating member,

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the signal device,

Figure 6 is a plan view'thereof,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevation showing the parts in a different position from that shown in Figure 5, and

Figure 8 is a detail section on the line 88 of Figure 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the letterA designates a railroad and B designates a high way or road crossing the tracks. The letter C designates the usual rails mounted upon ties D.

In carrying ,out our invention we provide a signal device which comprises a base 10 mounted preferably upon a cement or other foundation'll atone side of the road crossing. Rising from the base 10 is an upright 12 carrying a frame which includes a lower member 13 fromwhich projects a vertical support 14: carrying a horizontal bar 15 upon the ends of which aremounted bells 16 adjacentwhich the bar is cutaway to form stop shoulders 17. Pivoted at 18 at the ends of the frame member 13 are swingable arms or blades 19 which are urged toward the vertical support 14 by coil springs 20 suitably connected with the blades. The blades furthermore carry laterally extending arms 2 1'for a purpose to be described and have their upper outer corners provided with clapper-s 22 adapted to engage the bells 16 when the blades are swung back and forth.

The actuating mechanism consists of a track carried device which includes a metallic casing 23 mounted adjacent one rail at each side of the road crossing, the casing being provided with a base plate 24 which is spiked down onto the ties D. The casing carries guide pulleys 25 and 26 adjacent the latter of which is a guide nipple 27. The numeral 28 designates a conduit or pipe which is connected With each guide nipple 27 and which extends alongthe track through suitable securing members 29 to a point near the signal device, guide brackets 30 carrying guide rollers 31 being"provided at the ends. Leading from. these brackets 30 are other conduits 32 which extend to guide brackets 33 on the base 10, these brackets 33 having rollers 34. journaled therein.

Pivoted at 35 on each casing or support 23 is a treadle 36 of arcuate shape so located as to be engaged by the flanges of car wheels passing along the track. A coil spring 37 is connected with the treadle and with the casing or frame for holding the treadle normally in elevated position and it is also preferable to provide a leaf spring 38 engaging the underside thereof for the same purpose. The free end of the treadle, when in elevated position, engages against a stop shoulder 39 on the casing or support for limiting the upward movement. Connected with the free end of the treadles of both track devices are flexible members 40 which are trained over and under the pulleys 25 and 26 respectively, through the conduits 28, around the guide pulleys 31, through the conduits 32, about the rollers 34 and which have their other ends connected with the arms 21.

It is preferable that the horizontal bar 15 be painted some conspicuous color throughout its area and that it be provided outwardly of the blades 19 with two spots 41 which are preferably whiteand which are exposed when the signal is in'the safety indicating position as shown in Figure 5.

In case a train approaches the road crossing from either side the wheels thereof will engage the treadle 36 and force it down which will result in pulling upon the associated flexible member 40 and this will swing the associated blade 19 toward the end of the bar 15, the clapper 22 striking against the bell l6 and making an audible signal. As. each heel passes over the treadle the treadle will spring up under the influence of the springs and this will relieve the tension on the flexible member so that the spring 20 of the signal device will return the blade to its normal 01' innermost position, the blade being again swung outwardly When the next wheel depresses the treadle. In this way it will be seen that the passage of a train will cause up and down movement of the treadle 36 and consequently back and forth movement of the blade 19 which will result in giving a prolonged ringing to the bell. This will of course warn motorists and others approaching the railroad that a train is coming. As the plate or blade 19 swings the white spot 41 will be rapidly covered and uncovered and this will also make an effective signal.

The device is'shown in the present instance as applied to asingle track in which event it is necessary to provide the track mechanism at both sides of the crossing and on the same track, naturally. If a double track is used there would still be two track devices but one would be located at each track, the two devices being necessarily at opposite sides of the road crossing. In case of a one way single track of course only one track member would be used and the signal device would have only one pivote blade.

hrom the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that we have thus provided a simply constructed and consequently inexpensive crossing signal device which will be easy to install and which will be absolutely automatic in action and which will naturally be a great safety device in preventing accidents at road crossings.

IVhile we have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention it is of course to be understood that we reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

We claim: 7

l. A signal for railroad crossings comprising a supporting structure carrying a bell, a swingably mounted blade spring pressed normally away from the bell and carrying a clapper engageable therewith, and a train wheel operated actuator mounted on the track and connected with the movable blade of the signal.

2. A signal for railroad crossings comprising a supporting structure carrying a bell, a swingably mounted blade spring pressed normally away from the bell and carrying a clapper engageable therewith, and a train wheel operated actuator mounted on the track and connected with the movable blade of the signal, the actuator consisting of a support, a spring pressed treadle pivoted thereon, and a flexible" member connected with the treadle trained along guides, and connected with the movable signal blade.

3. A signal for railroad crossings comprising a supporting structure carrying a bell, a swingably mounted blade spring pressed normally away from the bell and carrying a clapper engageable therewith, and a train wheel operated actuator mounted on the track and connected with the movable blade of the signal, the actuator consisting of a supporting structure secured upon the ties, a curved treadle pivoted upon the support and located in the path of the wheels of the car wheels, spring means normally holding said treadle in elevated position, means for limiting upward movement thereof and an operative connection betwen said treadle and the signal blade.

4:. A railroad crossingsignal comprising a pivoted actuating treadle mounted along a track way in position to be engaged by the flanges of the car wheels passing thereover, and a signal device comprising a supporting post, a frame carried thereby and including a lower member and an upper bar, a bell carried by one end of the bar,.a movable blade pivoted on the lower member of the frame and carrying a clapper engageable with the bell, a flexible member connected with the treadle, trained through guides and connected with an arm on the blade, and a spring nora track way in position to be engaged by the flanges of the car wheels passing thereover, and a signal device comprising a supporting post a frame carried thereby and including a lower member and an upper bar, a bell carried by one end of the bar, a movable blade pivoted on the lower member of the frame and carrying a clapper engageable with the bell, a flexible member connected with the treadle, trained through guides and connected with an arm on the blade, and a spring normally holding said blade away from said bell said bar being of a conspicuous color provided outwardly of the blade with a spot of a contrasting color 15 exposed when the blade is in safety indicating position and successively covered and uncovered when the treadle is depressed by passage of a train.

In testimony whereof we affix our signa- $19 tures.

JOHN ROY STOGNER. POMEROY ADAMS. 

